AuthorTopic: Does this qualify as Hispanic? (Read 7801 times)

As I begin to look at Law School and register on LSAC.com, I am plagued with the race/ethnicity question once again. To clarify I am American born, but my mother was not and I have a Spanish Citizenship as I am 50% Spaniard and 50% Italian. My last name isn't Spanish, being that comes from my mother's side, but her maiden name isn't distinctively Spanish either. Throughout my life it has rarely been an issue, but I have been characterized both ways (white and hispanic) by others with little correction on my part. In high school I was awarded the National Hispanic Merit for my PSAT scores and since, I have attended an extremely white university, so the notion of applying as Hispanic has waivered some from when I was attending high school and living at home in a more urbane environment. Just wondering what I should do, if there are any similarly situated individuals out there and what they may have done in the past. Is it a fault if I continue to mark Hispanic? I know by the census Spain is considered Hispanic, but say if a a compnay is required to hire a minority owned business for a project, descent from Spain isn't considered minority. Any advice would be great as I try to understand my options.

I remember in grade school they told us that "hispanic" was anyone of spanish decent. That being said they also taught me that USSR still existed in the 90's(not true by the way). Does anyone have the govt's textbook definition of when someone is or isn't hispanic? It cant be based on skin color alone, becuase then all native americans could claim it. My wife is part native american and people assume she is hispanic all the time. I'm curious what the "offical" definition is though.

I always wondered if Brazil would qualify as hispanic since it is portugese and not spanish. I guess it would then in portugese is "hispanic" I am kind of suprised by that though. Dont they have their own language and heritage, or is it like being "semitic" can include arabs too since they are all sons of abraham dispite the fact that "anti-semite" is directed at jews normally? Do the portugese and spanish come from the same ancient lineage?

As for their peninsula isnt there another tiny dot sized country on top between spain and France? Would that be "hispanic" too? What about the island between spain and africa(I think England owns it) is that part of the peninsula and "hispanic"? If I seem to be asking a lot of questions it is becuase this authenticly interests me now that I know it can go beyond what I thought of as spanish.

I remember in grade school they told us that "hispanic" was anyone of spanish decent. That being said they also taught me that USSR still existed in the 90's(not true by the way). Does anyone have the govt's textbook definition of when someone is or isn't hispanic? It cant be based on skin color alone, becuase then all native americans could claim it. My wife is part native american and people assume she is hispanic all the time. I'm curious what the "offical" definition is though.

Hispanic peoples are those whose lineage derives from the Iberian peninsula. Hence, people from Spain, as well as people from Mexico, are Hispanic. As are many people from Portugal, the Canaries, Dominican Republic, Chile, pre-Republic Texas, and even Macao. And a bunch of other countries as well.

However, to qualify as an underrepresented minority for ABA purposes, you essentially need to be a Hispanic of Mexican or Puerto Rican descent. Sometimes Cubans and other Central/South/Caribbean Americans get a bump, but not as great.